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Geek Culture / how to watch tv on the computer? (revisited)

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Cash Curtis II
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Location: Corpus Christi Texas
Posted: 23rd May 2006 03:14 Edited at: 23rd May 2006 19:35
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Quote: "it would involve pirating the cable companies signal as a second node which you usually have to pay for.
Since this is piracy in another form
click."

Why did you lock this, indi? It is not piracy to watch TV on your computer. You can only watch what has already been decoded from your cable box.

Quote: "well the fact is that that im watching TV with same cable that i got internet on. so there is no way that i can just get some program that can translate the TV cable info sending to the computer? same procedure the TV does..
i hope i explained it right.. lol"

The cable modem does not decode the signals into video. Therefore, you need a card that does. They're pretty cheap, you can find them next to the video cards at any electronic store.

To hook the thing up, you need to run a splitter out of your cable box. If you run it directly from the wall, you won't get any of the premium channels (if you subscribe to them). Be warned, it divides the signal strength from the cable, so your internet might not work correctly. I did it in the past with fair success.

Like I said before, watching TV on your computer is NOT piracy. You have to be subscribed to the cable service in the first place. You can only watch the channels that you can already receive.

You're too trigger happy, indi.



Come see the WIP!

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Eric T
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 03:18
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Yeah, its quite legal, atleast in the US. I a monthly subscription to get the signal, and I'm allowed to use it on as many TV/Desktop/Laptop/Microwave/Banana's as I want. Of course, for the premium stations, I'd have to buy another cable box... If anything should be deemed illegal about the subject, its how much cable companies try to rip you off

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indi
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Location: Earth, Brisbane, Australia
Posted: 23rd May 2006 04:26 Edited at: 23rd May 2006 04:37
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The reason why i locked it is because it is illegal in most countries to make another node of your current installation without paying for another subscription.

It is illegal to watch cable tv on your computer as a second node when you have only paid for one set top box.
It is illegal to get your computer to try and read the cable providers streams without paying for another set box subscription
or without a subscription
It is illegal to make your own and use your own splitter without forwarning to your cable provider.

It is legal to use your monitor as a tv
It is legal to copy the shows once for 24 hours to vcr or dvd.

Since this forum is not just america, we have to apply some global standards, ultimately the final decision is with Rich and TGC policies.

Im locking it again if this forum post dwells on the illegal subjects mentioned above.

if its about recording simple tv from a tuner card then that is legal depending on your countries copyright media policies.

Dont tell me im trigger happy, you dont help mods when you usurp them.

If no-one gives your an answer to a question you have asked, consider:- Is your question clear.- Did you ask nicely.- Are you showing any effort to solve the problem yourself 
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Megaton Cat
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 04:43
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I'd have to agree with Cash. I think a few things should be allowed to slide, especially measley stuff like this. Obviously you don't have to do it, it's up to you.


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indi
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 04:51
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Its not up to me, its the TGC policy on piracy and illegal activities.
Im following a policy, not making it up as i go.
That is the end of discussion for me on this matter, I have to differ it to Rich.

If no-one gives your an answer to a question you have asked, consider:- Is your question clear.- Did you ask nicely.- Are you showing any effort to solve the problem yourself 
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Cash Curtis II
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 05:04 Edited at: 23rd May 2006 19:35
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Quote: "Dont tell me im trigger happy, you dont help mods when you usurp them."

I think I was quite polite about the entire thing. I'm certainly not trying to step on any toes, but I do feel you were wrong. I wouldn't have posted if you had an e-mail address - such a matter is best resolved in a more discreet manner. Since you don't have an e-mail address listed, I did the next best thing. There is no need to get confrontational about it all.

If it were so illegal, they wouldn't sell TV tuner cards in every store I've been in. He was simply asking how to do it, and to infer illegalities from such an innocent post is simply unnecessary.


Come see the WIP!

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ionstream
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 05:08
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I have antenna and a capture card that accepts RCA input, but I'm sure a cable box wouldn't be too hard. You might have to buy another box and then hook that output up to the computer, but if its coaxial out only, you will need a converter. They're not too bad, maybe $17 dollars.


On a side note, do I need to say 'dollars" if a dollar sign is before the number? Because to me, it seems like saying "$17 dollars" is redundant.

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Dave J
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 12:21
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As far as I know, my current cable provider doesn't allow it. Can't speak for the other services though, but I wouldn't think they'd allow it either.


Quote: "On a side note, do I need to say 'dollars" if a dollar sign is before the number? Because to me, it seems like saying "$17 dollars" is redundant."


No, '$17' would be read "17 dollars", so it's not nescessary to actually write the word 'dollars' afterwards.


"Computers are useless, they can only give you answers."
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Cash Curtis II
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 12:40 Edited at: 23rd May 2006 19:36
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It's exactly the same as putting a splitter on a cable and watching two TVs in the same room, one just happens to be a computer.

It becomes illegal if you split it off to someone else that doesn't subscribe to the service. That's not what he was asking, though. He wants to split his existing cable service into two outputs in the same room.

This is all in America. Australia, maybe they don't like you splitting a TV into two in your living room, but that seems a bit ridiculous.


Come see the WIP!

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Dave J
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 14:05
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Down here, you're not allowed to split at all. One subscription means one TV, same goes with broadband internet, you can't spread it over a network, one subscription means one PC with net access. Although, a lot of people don't follow these rules, it doesn't make it right.


"Computers are useless, they can only give you answers."
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David T
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 16:38
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In the UK digital TV is free for all, just need a box and bob's your uncle.

Quite a few of my friends have TV cards in their computers which receive the digital signal and allow you to watch on TV.

No idea about US cable tv though.

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Jeku
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Posted: 23rd May 2006 23:24
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Over here we can have something like 3 or 4 TVs hooked up when you buy cable, so it should be fine.


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TDP Enterprises
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Posted: 24th May 2006 03:23 Edited at: 24th May 2006 03:23
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yeah here in minnesota we have one cable line running into the house and then its split a bizzalion tiem and run into each one fo the rooms and hooked up to a total of 8 TV's and 4 computers, we can split the sginal to as many tvs or computers as we want

Snow Wars is making its return, check out the Game Design Theory board for more info...
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Cash Curtis II
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Posted: 24th May 2006 03:28 Edited at: 24th May 2006 03:30
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In the US, you have to pay to get a new cable jack installed, but you're allowed to split as much as you want off of the existing ones. The only problem is that you're sharing the signal strength of that single outlet between your devices.

It becomes apparent in military barracks when people illegally share cable. People split off of a split off of a split, and finally the signal starts to become absolutely terrible.

I've found that splitting a cable between the computer and TV reduces the strength just enough to cause internet connection problems. It all depends on the cable lengths and the way you hook it all up. I've tried signal boosters, but they don't seem to work with digital signals, at least the two I was willing to buy.

In my living room I have to split off of the wall, so I keep my cable modem next to the jack and run CAT V across the room.

Last time I tried splitting that signal between my TV tuner and modem, I got terrible results with the signal strength. I never cared to watch TV on my computer anyway. TV is pretty much a waste of time. If I want video input, I get better quality from my video capture card RCA input.



Come see the WIP!
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SirFire
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Posted: 24th May 2006 04:19
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When it comes to splitting cable, the quality of the cable you use plays a major role in signal quality. Push-on type connectors on thin coax degrade signal strength more than a proper RG-6 cable with twist-on connectors.

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TDP Enterprises
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Posted: 24th May 2006 13:54
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yeah one way we help increased the strength is we have a special cord running from a normal elecitricy outlet into one of our cable outlets, it increased the signal greatly.

Snow Wars is making its return, check out the Game Design Theory board for more info...
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adr
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Posted: 24th May 2006 14:22 Edited at: 24th May 2006 14:23
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It depends what you're splitting.

If you're splitting an already decoded signal (i.e, the output from the set top box goes to 2 TVs instead of 1), that would strike me as being perfectly legitimate. Is that not the case in your neck of the woods (Indi/Exeat)?

Here, the Freeview technology has been licensed out to so many people( presumably to accelerate adoption) that pretty much everything comes with a digital broadcast decoder, including recent TV Tuner PCI cards.

I would imagine a private commercial venture, such as Sky or the cable companies, would use their terms and conditions to state that you can't circumvent their signal encryption. So, if you managed to make a Sky TV Tuner Card for your PC, that would've cost them a potential sale... and hence, they'd kick your ass.

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Phaelax
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Posted: 24th May 2006 20:04
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I don't believe the computer can decode the non-basic channels (hbo, cinemax) without a box. Therefore, he would get the same channels as if he plugged the cable straight into another tv without a box, perfectly legal.

I had tv on my computer over 5 years ago. The cable guy even watched my hook it up.

Quote: "One subscription means one TV"

it should be 1 subscription 1 household.

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